The Smallest Part – Review

Many thanks to Amy Harmon for my very first ARC copy of one of her novels!

Authors like Amy Harmon are the reason I read. Her beautiful heart bleeds onto the pages of every book she writes. After I finish reading each book I’m left in awe of her writing, the soul of her books, and just how deeply my heart was captured by her stories. The Smallest Part was no exception. It quickly made it to the top of my “favorite books” list, like the majority of Amy’s books. At this point, I can’t even choose a favorite from Amy’s collection of works. All of her books speak to me in different ways, but the common denominator is how much each one made me feel.

The Smallest Part is the story of Dr. Noah Andelin from The Law of Moses and The Song of David, two of Amy’s previous books. I’m so happy we were given his story, because like everyone else, I was completely captivated by his gentle heart and eager to know more about how he became a widower at such a young age. Though this book picks up with a character from previous novels, it reads perfectly as a standalone. I can guarantee it will make you want to read The Law of Moses if you haven’t had the chance to pick it up already.

BLURB:

“In the end, only three things matter. How much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”
– Unknown

It was a big lie. The biggest lie she’d ever told. It reverberated through her head as she said it, ringing eerily, and the girl behind her eyes—the girl who knew the truth—screamed, and her scream echoed along with the lie.
“Are you in love with Noah, Mercedes?” Cora asked. “I mean . . . I know you love him. You’ve been friends forever. We all have. But are you in love with him?”
If it had been anyone else—anyone—Mercedes would have stuck out her chest, folded her skinny arms, and let her feelings be known. She would have claimed him. But it was Cora. Brave, beautiful, broken Cora, and Cora loved Noah too.
So Mercedes lied.
And with that lie, she lost him. With that lie, she sealed her fate.
She was the best friend, the bridesmaid, the godmother, the glue. She was there for the good times and the bad, the ups and the downs, the biggest moments and the smallest parts. And she was there when it all came crashing down.
This is the tale of the girl who didn’t get the guy.

I’m still sitting here with the sticky remnants of dried tears on my face after finishing this beautiful novel. I cried periodically throughout this entire story, which to me, means it is simply incredible and unputdownable. Though one of the main themes of this novel is death, including suicide, making the bulk of the story feel melancholy, it didn’t in any way detract from how much I loved it. If anything, the sad parts of the story made it all the more alluring in the end. As always, my heart was broken and sewed up bigger and more hardy than it was to begin with. If you’re afraid to feel the heaviness, take comfort in knowing the characters’ witty banter had me laughing too. There’s a fine balance of hard and soft that was perfectly achieved, making this an all-around masterpiece.

I loved the tie-ins with Amy’s previous books, allowing readers to get a fuller description and feel for the characters in all three stories. I also couldn’t help but love nearly all of the new characters in this book. Mercedes was stellar – strong and vulnerable, steady and patient, and a true friend in every sense of the word. I don’t know if I’ve ever loved one of Amy’s heroines as much as her. I can’t help but root for the altruistic characters, those who always love others more than themselves. The real world needs more of these characters!

“She’s good at loving, but she’s not very good at being loved.”

My heart broke for Cora and the hand she was dealt. Life was hard from the get-go for her and she simply couldn’t seem to rise above her circumstances, despite the love she was given. It was truly heartbreaking to read, but such an important element to this story, especially after reading the author’s note at the conclusion. My hands were literally trembling as I read about Amy’s experiences with the subject matter, and my heart goes out to her and her family. Without giving too much away, I will say she has personally dealt with my biggest fear as a mother. I’m so thankful she used her terrible experiences for the benefit of others who may be struggling.

Noah was everything. Gosh. I can’t even form a coherent thought about how much I loved him. He was good and kind and everything a man should be.

“And do you know what a gift that is? To feel so safe and so certain of a person that you are able – able – to take them for granted? Most people go their whole lives afraid to be who they are, afraid to be real and vulnerable and human, because they are sure the people they care about will walk away.”

There are so many important themes in this story, so much good on every page. As usual, my words cannot convey the depth of love I have for yet another book from Amy. I just hope that my inadequate thoughts encourage you to pick up this book. It is without a doubt a 5-star MUST-READ. Please pick up The Smallest Part on February 13th and binge on this beauty for Valentine’s. It is SO GOOD, guys, in every way possible. My heart soars with the privilege of having been able to read it.